Traveling cylinder printing device



DCC. 19, 1967 w. p BARBOUR ET AL 3,358,597

TRAVELING CYLINDER PRINTING DEVICE Filed Au 13, 1965' '2 Sheets-Sheet 1ROTATED 90 WILL/4M PLUMB HARBOUR 4/v0 YOW-J/U/V HU Dec. 19, 1967 pBARBQUR ET AL 3,358,5 97

TRAVELING CYLINDER PRINTING DEVICE Filed Aug. 15, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 24 FIG.2 T

FIG.3

FIG.4

United States Patent TRAVELING CYLINDER PRINTEIG DEVICE William PlumbBarbour, Fairfax County, and Yow-Jiun Hu, Alexandria, Va., assignors toFa'rington Business Machines Enrporation, Springfield, 1a., acorporation of Massachusetts Filed Aug. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 479,469 6Claims. (Ql. 1tl1269) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLQSURE An apparatus in anelectrical printing machine for recording data on a document with aprinting plate having raised indicia located at a printing station. Aroller platen for effecting the imprint is carried by a carriage havinga threaded female portion to receive a threaded shaft for relativemovement'therebetween, as the shaft is rotated by electrical apparatus.The shaft is so threaded to at least engage the carriage in screw-likefashion while the carriage traverses the printing station, and aresilient member is arranged at an unthreaded area at the end of theshaft to bias the carriage back so its female threaded portion will abutthe threaded part of the shaft allowing the carriage to engage thethreaded shaft for being driven back over the printing station.

The present invention relates to a printing device and, moreparticularly an improved electrical printing device for recording dataon business documents or the like by means of printing plates of a kindsuitable for use as identification cards and adapted to be readilycarried by individuals.

In utilizing an electrical motor in combination with a threaded shaft todrive a platen assembly for imprinting business documents with portableprinting plates of the type described above, it is by all meansdesirable to avoid binding which might occur by overdriving the platenassembly on the shaft as a consequence of a switch defect or adifference in printing pressures experienced by the platen assembly witheach imprinting operation. The binding might result from the platenassembly abutting an end wall or some other obstruction in which case athreaded insert within the platen assembly would tend to bind with thethreaded shaft whereby not only might the threads be gradually worn downand defaced to negatively efiect subsequent imprint quality but also aninitial large amount of torque, not provided by the drive motor, may berequired to offset the binding in driving the platen assembly in thereverse direction.

Briefly, it is the general purpose of the instant invention to providean improved electrical printing device which avoids the hazard ofbinding and which also provides for utilization of bidirectionalimprinting. T 0 attain this, the present invention contemplates a rollerplaten rotatably mounted on a carriage assembly which is motor-drivenvia a partly threaded shaft to traverse the printing bed to impress thebusiness documents against the printing plates for accomplishing animprint. The shaft is only partially threaded but at least at an areasubstantially coextensive with the printing field while resilient meansare provided at the termination of the threaded portions of the shaft tobias the carriage assembly back toward the threaded portion to abut thesame when driven therefrom. Further provisions enable the device toreverse the motor drive for a subsequent operation after each printingfunction has occurred. By utilizing the above-noted features, anelectrical imprinting device of maximum efficiency and compactness isachieved.

The objects of this invention are to provide an electrical printingdevice which is simple and economical in construction, which producesuniform printing, which operates conveniently and with little effort,and which is durable and reliable in use.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a simple andeconomical bidirectional electrical printing device.

A further object is to provide an electrical printing device whichutilizes a threaded shaft to drive a platen assembly yet avoids binding.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of abidirectional electrical printing device which utilizes a threaded shaftto drive a platen assembly yet eliminates the hazard of binding.

For the purpose of illustration, a typical embodiment of the inventionis shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of the printing device.

FIGURE 2 shows a top view of the printing machine.

FIGURE 3 illustrates a side elevation of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1with the frame member 11 removed.

FIGURE 4 is a section of the device taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 illustrates an exploded view of the platen assembly 34.

FIGURE 6 represents a schematic diagram of the electrical circuitryemployed in the present invention.

As shown in FIGURES l and 2 of the drawings, the printing devicecomprises a frame member 11 which may be cast or molded of metal or asuitable hard plastic composition, together with a base 12 securedmidway of the frame member II by screws or any other suitable means.Base 12 is recessed at 13 wherein there is placed seat 14 for supportinga portable printing plate bearing raised characters thereon, anddirectly adjacent the seat within recess 13 is what many commonly referto as a dealer plate 15 usually bearing the name and address of therecording agency or the like. In addition, printing wheels 16 maysimilarly be mounted within recess 13 adjacent the seat 14, theseprinting Wheels bearing numeral characters on their periphery and beingindividually rotatable to provide an indication of the date. On eitherside of seat 14, and also illustrated in FIGURE 4, is part of aresilient guide member 17 to provide for properly positioning theportable printing plate on the seat. Guide member 17 also extends inaccurate fashion toward frame member 11 so that the printing plate isdirected to the bed plate when received through a horizontal opening 18(see FIGURE 4) in frame member 11. Substantially at the same plane withthe surface of seat 14 is a support member 19 which protrudes from yetis integral with frame member 11 as shown in FIGURE 2. For convenience,we shall designate the area denoted by seat 14, dealer plate 15, and/ orprinting wheels 16, as the printing field.

At the ends of the printing device are upstanding blocks 21 and 22adapted to be connected to base 12 by locking pins 23 and 24respectively, which extend through mating apertures in the base and theupstanding blocks. A shaft 25 is rotatably mounted through a pair ofbushings fitted in the upstanding blocks 21, 22 as illustrated inFIGURES l and 4, the shaft protruding through upstanding block 22 andfixedly secured to a pulley 26 about which is wound a pair of belts 27,the belts further being wound about a second pulley 2S driven by theoutput shaft of a reversible motor 31. Mounted to the bottom of base 12by screws or other suitable means is a holder 32 employed to support themotor 31 which is attached thereto.

Rotatable shaft 25 is threaded at 33 substantially coextensive with thelength of the printing field as is generally defined by the areacontaining or to contain printing printing field is a platen assembly 34comprising a carriage 35, and an insert 36 within the carriage whichinsert is threaded to be compatible with the threaded portion 33 ofshaft 25. To maintain threaded insert 36 fixed for preventing rotationwith threaded shaft 25 and preventing horizontal movement within thecarriage 35, a disk 37 is fastened by adhesive or other means to thethreaded insert 36 and also to the carriage 35. Attached to the groovedunderside of carriage 35 are an extension piece 38 and a bracket 39, thebracket having a pair of downwardly extending open slotted arms, asdisclosed in FIGURE 5, adapted to receive a shaft 41.

Mounted on shaft 41 for movement across the printing area is a platenroller 42 which may be of the dry or ink impregnated type such as thatdisclosed in Gilbert Patent No. 2,620,730. The roller is arranged topress a business document or the like, against the indicia on theprinting plates and printing wheels. When an inked roller as describedin the Gilbert patent is employed, ink impressions appear on the upperface of the paper placed opposite the printing plate, while when anon-inked roller is used, a sheet of carbon paper laid over the paper tobe imprinted may be used, and with either type of roller, carbon papermay be interleaved between multiple sheets of paper to be printed.

Secured to each end of shaft 41 outwardly of the slotted'arms on bracket39, to form end trunnions, are flanged cap rolls 43 and 44 which may bemade of suitable wear-resistant material such as nylon. These cap r011543 and 44 are respectively engaged by guide or cam members 45 and 46attached to each side of upstanding blocks 21 and 22. The .guide membersare provided with a depressed cammed surface 47 together with; upwardlyinclined cammed surfaces 48 and 49 at each end thereof. When the rolleris properly seated against guide members 45 and 46, flanges 43 and 44are respectively engaged by the edges of the guide members thuspreventing endwise movement of shaft 41 and maintaining the rollerproperly positioned between the slotted arms of bracket 39.

At each end of the printing device and in line with the path traversedby the platen assembly 34, there is shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 4 one of apair of leaf springs 51 and 52 biased toward the platen assembly andfastened to mutual upstanding blocks 21 and 22. As the platen assemblyis driven by the threaded portion of shaft 25-, it will eventually rideoff the thread 33- yet simultaneously by engagement with one of the leafsprings 51 or 52, it will be biased toward thread 33 for engagement withthe same, so that when rotation of shaft 25 is reversed relative to thelast direction of rotation by the shaft, the platen assembly will bereceived by the threaded portion 33 to again be driven across theprinting field.

At one side of the printing device lying between the platen assembly andframe member 11 there is illustrated in FlGURE 3 a bar 53 slideablerelative to fiat head pins 54 fastened to guide 46 through elongatedslots 54 located in the bar. The bar 53 is cut away at 55 allowingextension piece 38 to protrude fromthe carriage 35 to slightly beyondthe bar 53, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, however at each end of the cutaway 55 there is provided a shoulder lying in the path traveled byextension piece 38 adapted to be engaged and moved thereby when platenassembly 34 is impelled to traverse the printing field. As shown inFIGURE 3, fixedly attached to one side of the slideable bar 53 is adownwardly extending arm 56 with an actuating roller 57 secured to itsend. Seated in rocking fashion within base 12 is a pivotal arm 58slightly extending above the top of the base for engagement with theactuating roller as shown in FIGURE 3. Pivotal arm 53 is connected to apair of push rods 59 which in turn are tied to a rocker switch 61 foruse in conjunction with a push button switch 6%, shown in FIGURE 1 to bemounted on frame 11, the utilization of which will hereinafter bedescribed in detail.

A schematic diagram of the electrical circuitry in the preferredembodiment is shown in FIGURE 6, wherein the motor 31 comprising anarmature 62 and a field 63, is tied to three of output points 64 whichare connected by way of rocker switch 61 to a push button switch thencevia a fuse 65 to a plug 66 adapted to be inserted in a conventionalpower source outlet. While the rocker switch 61 is rocked in the Aposition as illustrated, and the push button switch 60 is in the Cposition, the armature 62 and field 63 will be shorted out, thereforethe motor 31 will not operate. When push button switch 60 has beenactuated, the switch arms will be pressed into the D position as shownthus completing a circuit to supply current for operating the motor todrive the shaft 25 in a first direction of rotation until the rockerswitch 61 is actuated by actuator roller 57 at which point in timearmature 62 and field 63 are again shorted out to stop themotoroperation and simultaneously instantly reversing the current flow inarmature 62 to provide dynamic breaking.

The above-disclosed apparatus operates as follows: Subsequent toinserting a printing plate on seat 14 through opening 18, a businessdocument is interposed into the device through the slot below the guidemember 45 and onto the tray defined by rim 12' and the raised innerridges of base 12 to overlie the printing plate, dealer plate 15 andprinting wheels 16; then the operator will depress push button 60 to itsD contact position to energize the reversible motor 31 driving the shaft25 in a, first rotating direction as actuating roller is already in itsA contact position as illustrated. The platen assembly 34 as shown insolid lines in FIGURE 3 will, due to the force exerted by biased spring52, be brought into engagement with the threaded portion 33 of the shaftto be driven in the X'direction, at which time by movement of cap rolls43 the shaft 41 and thereby platen 42 are guided from inclined cams 49to depressed central cam 47 for transferring an imprint on the businessdocument from the printing plate, dealer plate 15 and printing wheels16, by transmitting pressure to the platen 42 from cam 47 via cap rolls43 and shaft 41.

As the platen assembly is driven to approach one end of the device asshown by the broken lines, it will contact the biased spring 51 andcontinue to urge the same toward upstanding block 21 until the platenassembly is driven off the threaded portion 33, while simultaneouslyextension bar 38 will engage the shoulder of bar 53 to slidingly pushthe bar in the X direction advancing actuating roller 57 to rock thepivotal arm 58 and thereby rocker switch 61 into the B contact positionfor deactuating the motor 31. At the same time the circuit is set up toprovide for current flow when the push button switch 60 is depressedduring a subsequent imprint cycle to assume its C contact position.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosurerelates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention and thatnumerous modifications or alterations may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and the scope ofthe invention, it is desiredtherefore,

that only such limitations be placed on the invention as.

are imposed by the prior art and as set forth in the ap pended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for printing business forms and the like comprising a basemember adapted to support a printing means, a partially threaded shaftmounted to lie parallel to said base member and upwardly spaced inrelation with said printing means support area, a carriage having athreaded female portion to receive the threaded part of said shaft formovement. relative thereto, a roller platen, means for mounting saidroller platen on said carriage for movement therewith, automatic meansfor rotating said shaft, said shaft being threaded so at least to engagethe carriage assembly in screw-like fashion while the carriage traversesthe area to be occupied by the printing means, resilient means forbiasing said carriage assembly back so its female threaded portion willabut the threaded part of the shaft when driven therefrom.

2. In apparatus for printing business documents and the like, thecombination recited in claim 1 including cam means for urging the rollerplaten downwardly at the beginning of each imprint operation andupwardly at the end of each imprint operation.

3. In apparatus for printing business documents and the like, thecombination recited in claim 2 wherein the threaded shaft is driven in asingle direction during each imprint operation, and means are providedto reverse the rotation of the shaft driven by the automatic meansopposite to the last direction of rotation during each successiveimprint operation.

4. Apparatus for printing business forms and the like comprising a basemember adapted to support a printing means, a partially threaded shaftmounted to lie parallel to said base member and upwardly spaced inrelation with said printing means support area, a carriage having athreaded female portion to receive the threaded part of said shaft formovement relative thereto, a roller platen, means for mounting saidroller platen on said carriage for movement therewith, a reversiblemotor for rotating said shaft, said shaft being threaded so at least toengage the carriage assembly in screw-like fashion substantiallyopposite the area to be occupied by the printing means, resilient meansfor biasing said carriage assembly back so its threaded female portionwill abut the threaded part of the shaft when driven therefrom, a firstswitch for actuating said reversible motor to drive the carriage for animprint operation in a single direction, a second switch, means fortripping said second switch at the end of the imprint operation fordeactivating said reversible motor and adapting the reversible motor todrive the carriage in :a direction opposite to the last direction oftravel when the first switch is next operated.

5. In apparatus for printing business documents and the like, thecombination recited in claim 4 including cam means for urging the rollerplaten downwardly at the beginning of each imprint operation andupwardly at the end of each imprint operation.

6. Apparatus for printing business forms and the like comprising a basemember adapted to support a printing means, a partially threaded shaftmounted to lie parallel to said base member and upwardly spaced inrelation with said printing means support area, a carriage having athreaded female portion to receive the threaded part of said shaft formovement relative thereto, a roller platen, means for mounting saidroller platen on said carriage for movement therewith, a reversiblemotor for rotating said shaft, said shaft being threaded so at least toengage the carriage assembly in screw-like fashion substantiallyopposite the area to be occupied by the printing means, resilient meansfor biasing said carriage assembly back so its threaded female portionwill abut the threaded part of the shaft when driven therefrom, ahand-operated switch for actuating said reversible motor to drive thecarriage for an imprint operation in a single direction, a secondswitch, means provided on said carriage assembly to initiate thetripping of said second switch when driven at the end of an imprintoperation for deactivating said reversible motor and adapting thereversible motor to drive the carriage in a direction opposite to thelast direction of travel when the hand-operated switch is next actuated,and cam means for urging the roller platen downwardly at the beginningof each imprint operation and upwardly at the end of each imprintoperation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,024,594 12/1935 Mueller 10l2693,232,230 2/1966 Sheldon 10l289 3,233,542 2/1966 Minardi 101-269 ROBERTE. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

H. P. EWELL, Assistant Examiner;

1. APPARATUS FOR PRINTING BUSINESS FORMS AND THE LIKE COMPRISING A BASEMEMBER ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A PRINTING MEANS, A PARTIALLY THREADED SHAFTMOUNTED TO LIE PARALLEL TO SAID BASE MEMBER AND UPWARDLY SPACED INRELATION WITH SAID PRINTING MEANS SUPPORT AREA, A CARRIAGE HAVING ATHREADED FEMALE PORTION TO RECEIVE THE THREADED PART OF SAID SHAFT FORMOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO, A ROLLER PLATEN, MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAIDROLLER PLATEN ON SAID CARRIAGE FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH, AUTOMATIC MEANSFOR ROTATING SAID SHAFT, SAID SHAFT BEING THREADED SO AT LEAST TO ENGAGETHE CARRIAGE ASSEMBLY IN SCREW-LIKE FASHION WHILE THE CARRIAGE TRAVERSESTHE AREA TO BE OCCUPIED BY THE PRINTING MEANS, RESILIENT MEANS FORBIASING SAID CARRIAGE ASSEMBLY BACK SO ITS FEMALE THREADED PORTION WILLABUT THE THREADED PART OF THE SHAFT WHEN DRIVEN THEREFROM.